Input and Output Budgets for Nitrogen of Paddy Field in South Korea

The main objective of this research was to estimate the total mass of nitrogen discharged from various sources in paddy field area of South Korea in 2010 and 2013. Input and output budgets for nitrogen were estimated by mass balance approach. The mass balance approach reduces the effect of flow variations, and the large scale approach minimizes local effects, resulting in easier and faster establishment of strategy for nonpoint pollution problems. Nitrogen inputs were chemical fertilizer, compost, atmospheric deposition, biological fixation, and agricultural water, while crop uptake, denitrification, volatilization, and infiltration were nitrogen outputs. The estimated total nitrogen inputs for paddy field in South Korea were $266,211ton\;yr^{-1}$, $260,729ton\;yr^{-1}$, while those of total nitrogen outputs were $168,463ton\;yr^{-1}$, $164,994ton\;yr^{-1}$ in 2010 and 2013, respectively. Annual amounts of potential nitrogen outflow from paddy field were $97,748ton\;yr^{-1}$, $95,735ton\;yr^{-1}$ in 2010 and 2013. Also, annual rate of potential nitrogen outflow were 36.7%, 36.7% in 2010 and 2013, respectively.